


Janus Hotline

by Broken_Tin_Can



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Human AU, Human Sides (Sanders Sides), Hurt/Comfort, Intrusive Thoughts, Light Angst, M/M, Remus being Remus, creativity twins, demus - Freeform, duceit - Freeform, dukeceit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24680542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Broken_Tin_Can/pseuds/Broken_Tin_Can
Summary: Remus calls a number to get some help with his impulsive thoughts. Janus answeres the phone to a freaky guy who he's about to fall incredulously in love with.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 23
Kudos: 258





	Janus Hotline

**Author's Note:**

> This idea came to me while listening to Baby Hotline and this is pure self-indulgence and also Logan deserved a bigger role. He's next for my late-night rambling fic!  
> edit- I attempted to correct some of the spelling errors

Janus 

Janus Swindle falls hard for a voice on the phone.  
It was late into the night when an ear curling phone call shatters the quiet flat. Janus shot awake and scrambled for his phone stationed on his bedside cabinet. The screens light stung at his eyes, lighting up his pitch room. ‘Who the hell calls this late!’, he thought groggily.  
The screen was grey and read unknown. He sighed and answered seeing as he was already awake.  
"Yes?" He spits out bluntly  
"What makes someone a good person?"  
"What?" Janus was not expecting this. Sitting up straighter and a little more awake, he prepared himself to ask who was on the other end of the line but the caller continued.  
"I want to do what’s best for the people I care about but… I’m not good at that." his voice is hitched and dynamic, and he spoke with a raucous and fruity tone he had never heard before.  
"Ok.." ok. 'OK? Is that really the best I can come up with?!"  
"I’m not a nice or kind or sweet person, but does that make me a bad person? People call me a bad person. They call me a monster."  
"Why would they call you that?" Janus in no way considered himself a good person, nor a bad one but the sad note in the strangers’ voice was concerning. He needed to know more. Needed to make sure he was ok.  
"My brother’s good. Really good and people like him. He’s the golden boyo of the pack. I didn’t make the cut for the family beloved."  
"So are you angry at your brother, or yourself?" The caller thought for a while before answering.  
"Both? He’s good and I’m nothing like him, so I must be bad. And if I don’t act bad then that makes me good but that would make him bad." It was an absurd answer but in a twisted way, Janus understood the sense in it.  
"Let me get this right. You’re afraid that if you try to be better, you’ll make your brother feel evil but despite how he may see you, you want what’s in his best interest at heart. Did I get that right?" The caller went quiet again before bursting on the other end.  
"YES! That’s exactly it!"  
Janus had to pinch his lips to stop from laughing at his excitement.  
"So what should I do doc?" His voice was desperate and quiet again. Janus knew he shouldn’t be doing this as the stranger clearly had the wrong number but curiosity and pity kept him on the line.  
"How your brother feels doesn’t matter right now. Focus on you, If getting betters what you really want and if he really cares he’ll let you do that"  
"He probably won’t. But I care about him, so I can’t be so bad"  
"Do you think you make yourself out to be worse just so he can feel better than you?"  
"Yeah," he whispered.  
Janus and the stranger continued to talk for hours until the light was peaking through his blinds. They talked about the brother and self-image and the conversation never fell awkward after that. It was strangely comforting to talk to someone you’ve never met.  
The caller was describing in deep passionate detail that once he moves out he’d live in his van with a rat and travel the country. Janus was smiling at the bizarre inclusion of a rat and the strange diversions his plans took. Janus could have lied in bed another five hours listening but he had work in a few hours.  
"-But I’d sooner bomb an orphanage than move to Alaska. What about you?"  
"Me?"  
"Where would you run away to?"  
Janus though hard but his mind was blank so he diverted the question.  
"I can’t run away, I have work in a few hours"  
There was a scuffle of fabric until the caller screamed "HOLY FUCK IT’S LIGHT OUT! I kept you us all night, fuck me, sorry" Janus smiled.  
"I’ve got to get ready for work but I wish you the best with your brother"  
"Yeah ok, thank you, talk to you tomorrow, LOVE YOU!" He yelled before hanging up.  
Janus was too tired to process all of that right now. He got up to have a shower before work.

Patton Heart and Virgil Storm was already at the coffee shop. Pat wearing a typical wide smile and Virgil looked as brooding as ever. He nodded a hello at Janus, not commenting on his lateness thankfully.  
"Hi, Janus! It’s kinda quiet today- are you ok? You look tired"  
"What a very polite way of saying you look ill"  
"Oh, I didn’t mean it like that. But did you get enough sleep?"  
Patton was unbearable kind-hearted which Janus cherished. Not many would befriend a snake like him. Janus wasn’t that kind of person anymore but he still wasn’t a favourable character to keep around.  
"No, I got a call from a mysterious stranger. We ended up talking all night" Janus bragged, taking the coffee Patton had made ready for him.  
Virgil scoffed but Janus knew not to take him too seriously and that he doesn’t mean for the things he says to come off offensive.  
"Don’t believe me?" Janus said, raising an eyebrow.  
"No, I believe it, I just can never image talking to someone you don’t know for five minutes let along a whole night"  
"Well, what can I say? He was charming" Janus hissed in his cursive voice.  
Patton was brimming with joy.  
"What was his name! Are you in love?" He begged with puppy eyes.  
"Oh yes, we’re practically married already, just waiting for the mortgage on the house to go through then we can adopt"  
"Really?!" He asked in an elated child-like way.  
"He’s messing with you pop-star. But really, what’s the sitch?"  
Janus put down his coffee and with a sly creeping smile he replied, "not telling"

Just as the two were about to push for more, the bell above the coffee shop door rang.

Remus 

Remus king ran into the bathroom, grabbed his toothbrush, barging past a surprised Roman and ran out, desperate to get changed and out of the house to start his search for that voice. That fancy, fancy voice. He recognized it somewhere. He needed to find it before he forgot it. Though it would be hard to. It was silky and low but turned into posh rollercoaster when he lied. Remus knew from the moment the stranger answered he had the wrong number but he needed to talk to someone or he’d explode. So he talked and talked and talked until the sun came up. Remus pulled on his jeans and dark green tank that Roman hates, the toothbrush still in his mouth.  
“Where are you going?” Roman said as Remus burst back into the bathroom.  
Remus spat his toothpaste out, half missing the sink which made Roman recoil.  
“Watch it!”  
“Nunya business!” He yelled, stepping out.  
“Well, mother said you’re coming out with me today so I hope you don’t have plans” Roman called back as he combed through his hair calmly.  
Remus stepped back into the bathroom, staring intensely at his brother.  
“She literally told you this yesterday”  
“I wasn’t listening yesterday!” Remus shrieked, throwing his arms in the air.  
“Whatever, just get ready” Roman replied blankly, tending to his hair again.  
“Where are we going?”  
“Thomas’s”  
“Who the hells Thomas?!”  
“The Coffee shop” Roman turned to him. “We were there last week, how can you not remember that?”  
“How can you not remember it’s my birthday”  
“Wh-” Roman froze, eyes wide. He looked almost guilty. Then he looked confused. Remus slipped out of the bathroom as roman called behind him.”WE’RE TWINS!”  
“SO YOU FORGOT!”

Roman drove them to the coffee shop. Remus had his head stuck out the window and after ten minutes of fighting over the radio, Remus threatening to spit on his brother if he didn’t play his favourite while Roman threatening to kick Remus out of the car. Remus, of course, escalated it and yelled that he would cause them to crash. The settled on some weird talk show that neither was listening to but it was better than silence. Remus didn’t enjoy being so challenging but so long as Roman got to play the good guy. Just then Remus remembered the stranger’s advice in that smooth voice.  
‘How your brother feels doesn’t matter right now. Focus on you, If getting betters what you really want and if he really cares he’ll let you do that’

Remus turned to Roman quickly and considered apologizing for a moment but then the car stopped.  
“Finally, were here”  
“Oh yeah, I remember this place. Taste’s like-”  
“-nope!” Roman yelled. It was almost a reflex at this point. Remus tried not to be offended but it wasn’t working.  
“Why are we even here!”  
“This is where Patton works” Roman stated, collecting his keys. Then it clicked in Remus’s mind.  
“And Virgil” He drooled perversely, raising his eyebrows.  
“You embarrass me and Ill disown you as a brother!” Remus opened his mouth to fire back but he forced it closed. Be better. Be good.  
“I’ll be good,” He said plainly, unsmiling. He was so serious Roman looked more creeped out than he usually is with his brother.  
“Ok, let’s go”.

The twins stepped into Thomas’s to the familiar chime of the bell above the door. Remus scoped the small coffee shop out. Noting the people behind the counter and another sitting on a stool with a paper in hand. Roman led the way to the counter. Sunlight streamed in through the large windows giving the whole place a honey glow. Remus was suddenly starving as the smell of fresh-baked cake hit his nose.  
“Patton! One of your finest chocolate lattes and a slice of caramel cake!” Roman said with all the drama of a drama student. His confident bravo is one of the things that makes him so liked. Even if it is arrogance. “-and whatever Rem wants”  
“Hiya Roman, coming right up!” roman turned to Remus  
“Well, what do you want?”  
“A latte, an americano, a milkshake and three caffeine shots mixed together!” He replied in an excited whisper that he knows makes Roman uncomfortable.  
“That will kill you”  
“Probably” Roman turned back to Patton.  
“He’ll have the same, cause I’m not about to drive you to the hospital”  
Remus rolled his eyes but it was nice to know that Roman doesn’t want him dead. He left his brother to sit by the window but found his legs bouncing to do something impulsive so he looked around for a distraction. His eyes landed on Vigil who was cleaning up broken glass. The emo boy had been the direction of Roman’s desires for almost half a year and the biggest move he has made was when he complimented the emo’s purple hair. So much for unlimited confidence. Remus started spiralling into thought. ‘Am I braver than Roman?’ He entertained the idea to keep himself distracted which helped him to behave. His eyes moved on and he was looking at Patton. Roman’s best friend. He was the nicest person alive, but not in a weird nice guy way. Patton was kind to everyone, even Remus. Even Remus.  
Patton was leaning over the counter, giggling away as he talked with Some tall guy in glasses reading a newspaper like a dinosaur. Roman had finished talking to someone he’d seen before but his name felt lost in his mind.  
“Here,” Roman said, sitting opposite his taller brother. He pushed forward his order. ”Will you stop staring at my friends, you’ll make them more uncomfortable than you already do”  
“Sorry”  
“What?” roman looked up startled.  
“AHHH- who are the other two!?” Remus dodged, not wanting to explain his personal mission, which reminded him. ‘Find that voice’.  
“Glasses is Logan. He’s Patton’s boyfriend. Short hat guy with vitiligo is Janus”  
‘JANUS’ He knew he recognized that name. He was at one of Roman’s parties a few months back. Remus remembers finding it odd that he was drinking red wine instead of vodka shots and mixed poison like most of the others. And by others he means himself. Roman still hasn’t forgiven him for ruining murder mystery night.

Remus can barely take it anymore, the urge to scream at Virgil that roman has been making googly eyes at him for months is starting to send a discomfort through his nerves. He pulls out his phone and starts texting his late-night stranger. Roman too distracted by Virgil to criticize his bad table manners.  
He opens a chat and decides that having the stranger as unknown wasn’t as fun, he set his name as ‘The duke’. An old callback to when he’d play the villain to his brother ‘The prince’s’ hero. He set his stranger to Deceit. That is until he stopped pretending to be Remus’s therapist and come clean. Or until Remus can come up with something funnier.

The Duke: Do you think different coloured crayons have different flavours?

It took a while for a response.

Deceit: No,, Please say you’re not planning on doing that.

The Duke: How about a fork? Would that taste different from a knife?  
Remus heard a low chuckle come from the counter but tried not to get distracted.

Deceit: I won’t dignify that with a response,, but I’m concerned. You ok?

The Duke: I WANT TO EXPLODE LIKE A MOTHER FUCKING BOMB

Deceit: I’ll take that as a no,, What’s going on?

The Duke: I’m sorry. I’m using you as a distraction so I don’t ruin my brother’s life with my impulsive need to destroy things!!

Deceit:,, But you don’t want to do that, otherwise you would be trying to stop yourself from doing that

The Duke: :000 YOURE A GENIUS! I feel BETTER ALREADY!1111

Deceit: I’m glad, also, what’s with the names? Why am I deceit?

The Duke: OOH cause i know youre not the number i was supposed to call, which was a therapist help line but you never stopped me so youre a liar 

Deceit: right. I’m sorry. I was just afraid. You was sounding really morbid and I didn’t want to leave you like that until I knew you was ok, and wouldn’t do anything stupid. 

The Duke: FUCK YEAH IM STUPID. Thank you i like talking to you too it makes me calm down but also excited. Youre very patient with me thank you :))))

Remus knew you couldn’t fall in love with a voice but,,

The Duke: FUCK YOURE AT WORK im sry im disturing you 

Deceit: It’s ok. It’s quiet anyway. Though I should get back to looking like I’m working. Would you like to talk again tonight?

The Duke: ABSOLOUTLY I need to tell you all about my brothers dumb crush on this emo boy

Remus heard a laugh from the counter, this time he looked up. Janus was typing at his phone. A smile across his features. His eyes crinkling. He must really like who he’s talking to. Remus was brought back to his own phone as he received another message.

Deceit: Well I need to know all about that,,, I shall call you later 

“God, don’t you have any manners!?” Roman complained, meeting Remuses eye over his phone. Remus cut him off before he could drag him some more.  
“-sure Virgil would love to know you talk about him in your sleep”  
“I do not!”  
“I recorded the whole thing” Which was a lie. Remus was a creep but he mostly wanted to get a rise out of Roman- FUCK HE DID IT AGAIN! “I’m sorry!”  
“What the hell is up with you today?” Remus refused to tell his brother that. So he pushed forward his empty mug.  
Roman rolled his eyes and approached the counter to get them a refill.  
Being good was hard.  
Roman sat back down with his phone to his ear. “Hi mother. No, we’re fine. Remus is still alive, yes.” Roman gestured to Remus to go get their drinks from the counter seeing as he was preoccupied. Remus pulled a face at his brother and then stood to collect whatever fancy shit Roman had ordered them.  
Remus approached Janus who put out their drinks on a tray, he opened his mouth to ask for some caffeine shots but then Janus spoke-  
“Was yours the cherry frappe or the Strawberry hot chocolate? Also, did you want any more caramel cake?”  
Remus stood staring at Janus, mouth hanging open for an uncomfortable while. That voice. That fucking FANCY SILK LIKE VOICE WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE! AND WHAT THE HELL WAS A CHERRY FRAPPE?!  
Remus couldn’t help himself from smiling. Most found his wide grin creepy but Janus just looked confused.  
“Is that a yes?” Remus forced his mouth closed. He didn’t want to spoil anything. He grabbed the tray, nodded and fled back to Roman.

Janus

That was very weird. Janus wasn’t one to judge but. That was weird.  
Janus had heard a lot of talk about Romans delinquent brother over the years. They’d crossed paths a few times too but never had the tall and thin King brother acted soo offish. And he recalled him being louder? And wilder.  
He turned to Virgil seeing as Patton was still staring into his boyfriend’s eyes.  
“Roman’s brother. Is he mute?” Virgil took out an earbud he wasn’t supposed to be wearing but neither Pat nor Jan was going to stop his comfort mechanism.  
“Remus? No, the guy is like a walking sound system”  
“So staring silently and not answering questions is an original thing?”  
“Maybe he finally snapped. Or maybe he likes you. Or he’s planning to kill you” Virgil’s eyes widened as he descends further into the dark possibilities of his short interaction with Remus.  
“Or you need to calm down and see a shrink. Are you ok?”  
“Fine” Virgil shook, clearly distressed. More than normal.  
“This is about Roman isn’t it?”  
“No,” Virgil bit, pulling up his hoody.  
“So this has nothing to do with your undying love for the prince boy?”  
“No,” Virgil said, voice getting darker as he pulled his drawstrings tighter.  
“Really Virgil you couldn’t make your true feelings any more obvious” Janus rattled with his flamboyant liar bravo.  
“Janus” Patton had turned to the others, hand on hips as he emulates the energy of a disappointed father. Janus had to look away.  
“I’m doing it again. I’m sorry” Patton and Virgil had spent enough time with him to know when he was telling the truth.  
Patton smiled kindly and gave his shoulder a careful pat. Virgil had since dug himself out of his hoodie and sent Janus a forgiving half-smile. 

Janus got home late. He opted to lock up, still feeling bad. Being better meant doing better after all. He scarcely had time to shrug off his jacket before his phone rang a jazz tune. He hung his hat quickly and slumped on his bed, phone at his ear as he answered.  
“Thought I was supposed to call you?”  
“I missed your voice” The Duke was in no way charming but Janus still found himself smiling at his careless words.  
“Oh, what did you miss most?” He didn’t mean for it to sound so flirty but The Duke didn’t seem to mind, in fact, he was shameless.  
“That you’re voice changes when you lie. I also missed how smooth you sound. It inspires a lot of intrusive thoughts”  
“Good one’s I hope?”  
“Mostly. And dirtier ones”  
the duo would casually flirt in and out of serious discussions for hours until one or the other would fall asleep. They called regularly now. Daily. Janus would return to his empty flat giddy like a child as he waited for the call, or called himself. Janus thinks he can understand now why Patton spends so much time basking over Logan. Or why Virgil obsessively practices Romans favourite drink orders. They were all tied neatly in commitment. Who was Janus committed to? I voice. Needs to know the identity of his caller. He needs to know because he wanted more. Janus always kept a wall of independence and control, but behind that wall, he’d made for himself, it was lonely. It was dark. This thought would plague Janus’s mind until he brought it up casually in one of their late-night calls.  
“Have you ever wanted to kill someone?”  
“I think it’s normal to think about but actually wanting to is another story. Is this about your brother?”  
“We had a fight today. I messed up and,, was bad again. So he said that no one will ever love me,,,”  
“You has a knack for knowing when someone is lying. Was he?”  
“Yeah... I still bit him”  
”Apologize later, he’ll be fine”  
A pause.  
“Why do I destroy everything I touch? Why can’t I just be good?”  
“You made a connection with me. That something”  
“How long until I break that too?”  
“I won’t let you”  
Another pause.  
“Are you afraid you’re wasting time on me?”  
“Did you know that the bigger the strawberry the sweeter it tastes? So if you get a box of them, You’ll only have sweet strawberries. But sometimes you find a random, out of place smaller strawberry that’s sour. And sometimes that sour strawberry can be more refreshing than any sweet strawberry could be”  
A long pause.  
“IM THE SOUR STRAWBERRY ARNT I?” A tearful edge in his voice.  
“I want to meet you. Proper.” Janus mused.  
“What if you think I’m ugly!?”  
“Then I’ll think you’re ugly. But I’ll still care about you”  
“But you’re so pretty and hot and always smell so nice!”  
A beat passes.  
“How would you know that” Janus’s voice turns inquisitive. “You Know me!”

Remus

Frozen. Fuck. He really just fucked himself. Or had he? Was this a bad thing? ABSOLUTELY IT WAS! Janus will hate him if he knew who he was talking to, flirting to!  
‘WHY DO I HAVE TO BREAK EVERYTHING GOOD!’ he screamed in his head. Panic seized him and he hung up.  
‘Throw your phone’ he thought. So he did.  
‘Keep going’ It said. He swept things odd his sides, threw around his bedding sheets and pulled down his curtains.  
He was getting bad again. He would call Janus when he did but now.  
He ran down the stairs to find his mother. She wasn’t home. Her bag was gone along with the car out front.  
Remus felt the building tension in his limbs, itching to move and throw him against a wall. Remus had to find a distraction or else he’d explode.  
He noticed a bowl of strawberries sitting on the island of their kitchen. Remus screamed loud. It felt good to let some of the energy go so he knocked the bowl over. Strawberries scattered the floor.  
“Remus what the hell happened to your room?!” Roman ran into the room but froze for a second before leaping at his brother and holding tight onto his arms, pulling him to the floor. “Remus! It’s me, You’re ok. Talk to me. What happened?!”  
“I’M A SMALL STRAWBERRY!” Remus yelled, crying. Roman loosened his grip.  
“WHAT?! REMUS ARE YOU ON DRUGS?! WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!”  
A few moments pass and Remus feels tiredness take hold ad he is calm. Roman looks exasperated and confused and scared. His brother, the hero, always there to save the day from the villain.  
No. Remus is good too. Because he wants to be better. He looks up at his brother finally, picking up a strawberry.  
“Did you know bigger strawberries taste sweeter than smaller strawberries, that taste sour”  
Roman blinked wide-eyed, jaw still hung open.  
“But sometimes that sour strawberry can be more refreshing than any sweet strawberry could be”  
“You’re a small strawberry” Roman whispered, starting to understand.  
“Do you really think no one could love me because I’m a monster”  
“Remus I was angry! You know I never mean those kinds of things!”  
“I thought that the only way I could get you to like me, was if I was bad, so you could always play the hero. Like we used to play! The Prince and the Duke.” he took a shaky breath. ”So I was afraid to get better.”  
Roman’s eyes were brimming with tears as he pulled Remus into a hug, squeezing him tight.  
Remus hugged his brother back, awkwardly trying to match his shorter stature.  
“I don’t think I will ever understand you. But I’m glad I understand this. You’re a menace but I love you and I want you to be better and good and happy. And I’m sorry. That I made you think that that’s the only way we could get along. I vow to never be so hasty to judge or belittle or- treat you like a monster again. It was me who was being the monster.”

Remus had stopped crying and now sat on the kitchen floor hugging Roman while surrounded by strawberries. Weirder things had happened. But Remus wasn’t sure where to go from here so he kept on with the honesty.  
“I’m in love with Janus”  
“Roman pulled back from the hug, his face strained with tears but surprise taking over his features.  
“JANUS?! Coffee shop Janus? That Janus?”  
“I called him by accident instead of a hotline and we’ve been talking for a few weeks but he didn’t know it was me so I never spoke around him but now he knows I know who he is.”  
“Janus!”  
“I hung up on him and now he hates me cause he liked me too but if he knew it was me-”  
“-hold the phone their touch-tone twinkle toes. Let me get this down. You called Janus instead of a hotline. A HOTLINE!!” Roman grabbed his brother’s face. “NEVER LEAVE ME! I CANNOT BE THE ONLY TWIN, HELL I WON’T BE A TWIN AND I NEED YOU AND I LOVE YOU and-”  
“It was a therapist hotline but I love you too”  
The boys turned their heads at the sound of the door opening and the familiar figure of the mother walked into the kitchen.  
“What the hell did you two do? Why are strawberries everywhere? And- Oh my God are you crying what happened?!”  
“I’m the smallest strawberry” Remus laughed, a wicked smile crossing his face. Roman gradually laughed along, shaking his head while their mother stood by confused. Though glad to see that neither are bleeding this time. 

In the early morning the next day, Roman pulls up to Thomas’s. Remus is fidgeting in his seat as rain pours.  
“Bro, you have got this. Just march on over to him and declare your love for him.”  
“Or I could kill him and bury the body in a glass coffin so that then I’ll never have to tell him how I feel but I can still see him every day”  
“...Or You don’t!”  
“DAMN IT!” Remus took a breath “I’m good” he smiled turning to Roman, wide-eyed.  
“...Sure”

They climbed out of the car and into the store. The bell ringing. Patton was at the counter, sipping a large mug with Virgil out sweeping the shop floor.  
“Hey Roman! The usual?”  
“Patton! Yes! But, also, Is hissyfit working today?”  
“He’s late but that’s nothing new” Virgil chimed, surprisingly not wearing his earbuds.  
“Has something happened?” Asked Patton, ever concerned having noticed the air around the twins.  
“Everythings coolio, Pat, Patty, Pattinson” Roman played not as smoothly as he hoped for.  
The bell rang and the twins spun back startled.  
Logan blinked back, collapsing his umbrella.  
“What is up with you two?” Virgil asks. Remus turns to him, and in a calm manner.  
“I’m a small strawberry”  
Virgil squints at him.  
Patton seems to have taken this as a request for a strawberry hot chocolate while Logan nods his head, seemingly understanding.  
“Don’t say that made any sense to you” Said, Virgil  
“Clearly being a small strawberry is a metaphor for the way Remus feels about himself as characterised by being the less popular version of a beloved fruit, being the smaller and therefore more sour option. Fun fact, strawberries usually only become sour due to bad growing conditions. Applied to this metaphor, Remusis lacking the personal growth to be considered a good or sweet strawberry” Logan info dumped. He was a quick thinker. "He gets it"  
Remus pockets his lips and sits by the window, Roman following him, looking like he’s about to pass out. Logan had joined his boyfriend at the counter. After awhile Virgil brought over the drinks Patton had made them. Just as he turned to leave, Remus couldn’t help it. His eyes met Romans.  
“Virgil!” Remus slipped, slapping a hand over his mouth.  
“Yeah?” Roman was halfway between beheading his brother and sympathetically reassuring him that he won’t hate him after. Remus needed to think before his mouth ran a muck again.  
“You’re Emo!”  
“An overt observation!” Roman mumbled into his drink, wide eyes betraying him.  
“Roman’s having a party and he needs emo music!” Roman straightened at that.  
“Yes. An… emo party?” Roman tested, trusting his brother.  
“Ok. So did you want suggestions?”  
“Er, Yes!” Roman smiled.  
Remus stood and pushed Virgil into his seat, winking and making a perverse gesture over his shoulder at Roman, he fled to the counter on a stool. He needed to think. Think about what he’d say and how he’d apologise to Janus. The other couples in the room were making that harder to ignore. Remus passively crushed a cake Patton had left him with his thumb when the bell above the door rang.  
“Janus!” Patton called. Remus didn’t turn. He was not ready for this.  
“Sorry, I’m late. Traffic was a nightmare” That was a lie but Janus was so close to him now.  
“Don’t you walk?” Virgil yelled over. Remus turned to his brother who was gawking and threw him a thumbs up.  
“Depends on your definition of walking. Did I miss anything?”  
“Roman and Remus are being weird but nothing too out of the ordinary,” said Virgil.  
Janus noticed Remus then. He met his eye and if he had any suspicion that he was The Duke on the other end of the line, he didn’t show it. Remus felt his phone vibrate.

Princey: What are you waiting for? 

Rat Man: IM NERVOUS

Princey: Just don’t throw away your shot!

Rat Man: Ask out EMO THEN YU CAN TELL MEWHAT TO DO

Princey: Rem, just start slow. If he could bare listening to you over the phone all night then he can bare you in person. Just take the leap!

Remus sat at the counter, stealing glances at Janus as he served up coffee to others going in and out the shop. He sat for hours. Princey slapped him on the shoulder as he left with Virgil on his break, leaving him alone.  
The sun was setting and Remus had spent the day silent. The shop had since grown quiet and Patton left to go to the back. Janus had fixed himself a coffee and pushed a hot chocolate with a mountain of cream towards Remus. He hadn’t ordered it and Janus didn’t say anything.  
Remus pulled out his phone. 

The Duke: IM SO SORRY! I GOT STUPID AGAIN AND BAD

Remus watched as Janus hastily pulled out his phone, neglecting his own coffee. He smiled at the screen and started typing.

Deceit: It’s ok. I still want to see you though.

The Duke: What will happen if we raelyy meet tho

Deceit: you’ll tell me about your day like always. Except this time, we’ll be in the same room.

The Duke: you won’t like me. I’m sour nd ugly and weird

Deceit: I already like you and I already know your weird. 

The Duke: Youre too good tho. Im not good enough. Not like you yet!

Remus snuck a glance at Janus. He looked sad.

The Duke: YOU DESERVE BETTER THAN SOMENE LIKEM ME!!

Deceit: Do you think you deserve love?  
Remus went quiet for a while, considering the question.

The Duke: I LOVE YOU!  
Janus hummed out a laugh. He was beautiful.

Deceit: I mean like in a partner. A,, commitment.

The Duke: I don’t think we deserve anything! We make friends, we get hot and bothered, then we make a commitment. It’s all random like a roulette gun filled with maggots. Or an intrusive thought! You’ll never know...FUCK DO YOU NOT BELIEVE YOU DESERVE LOVE?!

Deceit: Like you said. I’m a liar. I’m not as good as you think I am. 

The Duke: I don’t like it when you frown :((

Janus looked up and around the shop. Remus was the only one there, but he wasn’t facing Janus. 

The Duke: I love you Janus. I want you to smile and i want to be your commitment and i want to hold your hand whilke i talk about my day. I WANT TO TALK TO YOUU!!

Janus smiled down at his phone but then his expression changed. Something snapped into place and he looked over to Remus. He was gone. Janus hadn’t heard the bell ring. Maybe his theory was wrong. His phone buzzed.

The Duke: ILL MEET YOU SOON!! :))) ;))) ;PPP

Remus walked around the block for a few minutes until Thomas’s shut. Janus was locking up the door. Remus was terrified and shivering. Only wearing his very dirty tank top. Janus was always immaculate in his yellow shirt and black hat. Remus forced down the dirtier thoughts. Like how much he could scruff up his clothes on his bedroom floor.  
While they cuddled.  
In the buff.

Remus jogged up to Janus who turned startled.  
“God Remus I thought I was being mugged! Did you forget something?”  
Janus looked careless, waiting for the dirtier twin to respond.  
Remus needed to be careful. He needed to control his mouth and thoughts for just this once.  
“JEFFREY DAHMER!” Remus slapped a hand over his mouth.  
Janus took a step back bewildered.  
“Fuck! Stupid! WRONG THING! DIDN’T MEAN THAT!” Remus took a long breath, scratching the back of his neck.

“You look pretty Janus”

Janus was processing. THAT. He looked surprised. Confused. And something else.

“Jeffrey Dahmer?!” He finally said.  
“Wanna take a walk?” 

Janus and Remus walked in the direction of Janus’s apartment. It was dark out and dim street lamps lit up the path through the damp park. Things were painfully quiet since the rain stopped.  
“Soo, How was work?”  
“You would know, you were there all day” Janus smiled  
“I was trying to say it then. But I got stupid again”  
“I suspected it was you a few times. Since you never ordered anything from me”  
Remus smiled wide at him, the urge to grab his hand was enticing.  
“I was terrified when you hung up. Afraid you wouldn’t call again-”  
“-I WASN’T ANGRY AT YOU!”  
“That’s not what I meant”  
“It’s hard to ignore your own head sometimes”  
“What’s it saying now?”  
“That I need to hold your hand or else I’ll explode” Janus laughed.  
“You can listen to that one”  
Remus reached for Janus’s gloved hand. Locking their fingers. They continued like that until Remus came to a stop. 

“Am I disappointing?”  
“You’re as trashy as I imagined. In a good way. Except...”  
“EXCEPT?” Remus looked panicked.  
“You’re a lot taller than me. I’ll have to start wearing hee-”  
Janus felt arms wrap around his hips and he was suddenly being held in the air. Remus’s arms holding him tightly to his chest. Their eyes met. Remus in all seriousness, while Janus is wonder and surprise.  
“I’ll saw off my legs! You’ll never be shorter than me again. Or I’ll hold you up forever!”  
Remus watched as Janus’s face blushed red and stars danced in his astonished eyes. One brown and the other lighter, glowing in amber honey. His vitiligo patches framing his left features. He was resplendent. Remus swore fireflies were dancing around him like embers. And the thought came so gradually, unlike most others. He wanted so much to kiss him. But anxiety crept. Remus was awkwardly tall and thin with an unkempt appearance. Everything about him screamed freak or villain, from the bleach strip of his hair to his moustache. His grip loosened but before he could release the liar, gloved hands grabbed his face, pulling him forward. Janus closed his eyes softly pressed his lips to Remus’s. His eyes growing wide. Famed for his unpredictability. Remus was shocked. Never had he been left bewildered by another. He quickly tightened his grip, realizing Janus was slipping from him. He closed his eyes and was now deepening the kiss between them. Janus’s feet found the ground and Remus leaned over him to get closer. His hand travelling over Janus’s spine.  
The kiss ended with Remus holding Janus in a dip. Both staring star-eyed at the other. Another fear hit Remus. A fear that they’d never do that again.  
“WILL YOU MARRY ME?!”  
Janus burst into laughter, tears brimming his eyes. Remus stood them back up straight, nervously holding onto Janus’s hand as he adjusted his hat.  
“Take me on a date first?” Janus said cooly.  
Remus smiled from ear to ear. Nodding profusely.  
“Want to come over and have our late-night talk in person?”  
“What if I make things weird and scare you?”  
“I’ll be fine Remus. I expect nothing less”

Five minutes later and they’re in Janus’s apartment. Sitting on his bed. Janus leaning against Remus who was prompted against the backboard. They were talking about Roman and how Remus had tricked him into a date with Virgil. Janus was laughing at how absurd it was that both were so blinded by their own feelings they never knew the other was pinning just as hard. Janus cuddled closer to Remus on the bed. And Remus, for once wasn’t terrified of scaring someone away. He hated hoping for things to turn out ok but he had a new hope blooming in his chest as he watched Janus grow tired and start to drift off into sleep. He’s going to get better. He isn’t going to stop being weird, but he’ll be nicer.


End file.
